Traction slide in a pitch deck
What to show, what not to fake, and how to prove you're not just an idea.
What is the traction slide?
The traction slide shows that things are already moving. It answers: Why should someone bet on you right now?
You're not expected to be profitable. But you're expected to show motion. This slide gives investors a snapshot of your momentum and credibility.
It's not about vanity metrics. It's about proof that your solution works in the real world.
What investors look for
Pitchkit evaluates your traction slide using these 4 criteria:
- Quantified traction metrics — Are you showing hard numbers - users, revenue, retention, or engagement?
- Growth trajectory — Is there evidence of acceleration or compounding motion?
- Market validation proof — Who's using the product and what's the signal that they care?
- Key achievements — What milestones have you hit? Launches, pilots, major logos, funding?
If you don't have traction yet - say that clearly. Then show progress toward traction.
Good vs. bad examples
✅Strong
- $12k MRR, +20% MoM growth
- 3 pilot customers in negotiation for expansion
- 1,200 waitlist signups in 6 weeks
- Launched v1 on Product Hunt with 400 upvotes, #2 of the day
❌Weak
- "We've talked to users and they're excited."
- "We believe the product will gain traction quickly after launch."
- "We're working on a pilot."
If your traction slide is just future promises, it's not a traction slide.
Common mistakes
- Only showing vanity stats: Page views, social likes, followers don't prove demand.
- No context: 10,000 users means nothing if 9,800 churned.
- Stacking irrelevant wins: "We got into an accelerator" is fine, but what came next?
Best practices
- Pick metrics that fit your model: SaaS = MRR. B2C = retention. B2B = pilots, LTV.
- Show time-based growth: Point-in-time metrics don't impress—growth rate does.
- Add social or commercial proof: Paid customers, usage depth, repeat buyers.
The investor takeaway should be: This isn't theoretical. It's already happening.
How Pitchkit helps
Pitchkit's traction slide builder guides you to:
- Pick the right traction signals for your model
- Write out metrics clearly and persuasively
- Show progress even pre-launch (waitlists, pilots, validation)
The investor lens shows how your traction compares to similar-stage companies. If you're faking momentum, you'll see the red flags before they do.
FAQs
- What if we don't have revenue yet? Then show user growth, waitlists, letters of intent, or strong usage patterns. Progress matters more than perfection.
- Can i include soft traction like partnerships? Only if they're active. "We're talking to" is fluff. Signed MoUs or live integrations count.
- What's the best traction metric for B2B SaaS? MRR, expansion conversations, net retention, usage stats (DAU, MAU). Bonus points for enterprise pilots.